Sheet registering apparatus



Oct, 14, 1952 H. T. BACKHOUSE SHEET REGISTERING APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET1 Filed 9, 1949 N Mm wmw N Oct. 14, 1952 H. 1'. BACKHOUSE 2,613,930

SHEET REGISTERING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 9, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 I I l[Ilium W """lllll 66 Tau/04mg Patented st. 14, 1952 SHEET REGISTERINGAPPARATUS Headley Townsend Backhouse, Sunningdale, England ApplicationNovember 9, 1949, Serial No. 126;.264 In Great Britain November 12, 19486 Claims.

The invention relates to sheet registering apparatus of the kind whichmay constitute part of a printing machine or part of a machine forseparating sheets from a pile and which embodies a lay-board or frontplate on to which sheets of paper card or the like are fed in acontinuous stream of partly overlapping sheets and means for engagingthe front edge and,.it may be, also the side edge of each sheet inturn,.to effect registration thereof andfrom which board or plate thesheets are transferred individually after registration to a printing orother machine operating on single sheets.

It is desirable in apparatus of the above kind, and with a view toreducing the interval between the removal of successive sheets with, inthe case of a rotary printing machine, a corresponding reduction in theineffective parts of the circumference of the cylinder to which thesheets are transferred, to effect the registration of each sheet duringthe removal of the preceding sheet from the lay-board and it is knownfor this purpose to provide front and side registering devices operatingbeneath the sheet being removed, the sheets being supplied to thelay-board in partly overlapped relation. In order that devices operatingin this way may be effective it is necessary to ensure thatthesucceeding sheet does not adhere to the sheet being removed and isnot carried into the printing or other machine with the latter sheet.

In my prior applications Ser. Nos. 62,249 and 62,251, .both filed onNovember 26, 1948, I have described a .scraper device constitutingsimple means for engaging the leading edge of each sheet as itapproaches the registering position and to separate that edge from theoverlying sheet being removed. The scraper device described in theseearlier specifications may also serve as a smoother for the sheets atthe front lays.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an even moreefiective means for separatingthe front edge of each sheet from theoverlying sheet.

With the above object in view the invention provides sheet registeringapparatus of the-kind described above which has a scraper devicearranged to move against the direction of the flow of sheets whilescraping the undersurface of the sheet being removed and in such timedrelation with the feeding of the sheets that the-device will meet andengage the front edge of a succeeding sheet as it approaches theregistering position, the scraper device being arranged to engage saidfront edge to separate the edge from the overlyingsheet, and whichapparatus also has the feature that the scraper device incorporates anair-nozzle arranged to direct a blast of air between the upper surfaceof the front portion of each succeeding sheet as it approaches the'frontlay position and the under surface of each overlying sheet beingremoved. I

In one form of the apparatus accordingtdthe invention the scraper deviceconsists of a memher having two arms at "an angle and p-ivotallysupported about the free end of one of the arms (herein referred to asthe support arm) below the layboard for oscillation about anaxisparallel to the leading edge of the sheet to be engaged from aposition in which the other arm (herein referred to as the scraper arm)extends upward- 1y towards'the underside of the sheet being removed to aposition in which the scraper arm lies above and in a planesubstantially parallel to the front portion of the succeeding sheet, themovement of the device as aforesaid being in a direction against themovement of the sheets and being followed by a return movement to theinitial position, and means are included in the apparatus foroscillating the scraper device as aforesaid and in such timed relationwith the feeding of the sheets that the free end of the scraper armscrapes the underside of the sheet being removed as the next sheetapproaches'the lays and the scraper arm reaches the limit of itsmovement as, or just before, the sheet reaches the lays.

It is preferred that in the form of the apparatus just defined, the airnozzle is located on the support arm adjacent the scraper-arm'an'd isarranged to direct a blast of air in the direction of the scraper armand on the underside thereof.

One specific construction of sheet registering apparatus according tothe invention and incorporated in a sheet feeding machine will now bedescribed by way of example and with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective'diagrammatic View of the feeding machine andalso shows parts'of'an associated sheet separator and of a printingmachine;

Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is a view in the direction IIIIIIin Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a rear view of the apparatus;

Figure 5 is a plan of the apparatus;

Figure 6 is an under plan of the apparatus;

Figure 7 is-a section on the line VII-VIIi Figure 4; and

Figure 8 is a view corresponding to Figure of a modified form of theapparatus.

The feeding machine comprises conveyer tapes I driven from a roller 2and arranged to convey sheets delivered from a pile 3 by suckersindicated at 4 over a table 5 to a layboard 6. The suckers l form partof a sheet separating machine which is of well known construction and isin accordance with British Patent No. 427,041, dated October 26, 1933.

The sheets are conveyed by the tapes in the form of a continuous streaml of partly overlapping sheets. Below the front end of the layboardthere is a cross-shaft ill on which there are secured a number ofscraper devices I I. The

machine and the scraper devices are constructed and arranged foroperation in the manner described in my previously mentioned patentapplication Ser. No. 62,251, with the following important modificationformingthe subject of the present invention and the addition of adetecting device forming the subject of my co-pending patent applicationSer. No. 126,268, filed November 9, 1949.

The modification consists in the provision of air nozzles in the arm Ilaof the several scraper devices H. These nozzles are in the form of twosmall holes which communicate through passageways 2| with the interiorof shaft In which is tubular and which is, in use, connected to a sourceof compressed air.

The admission of the air to the nozzles is controlled by a suitablevalve and is timed so that the air is on as the scraper devices ll movein the clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 2, and theair tends to lift the sheet (a being removed away from the leading edgeof the underlying sheet lb and to introduce air between the two sheets.The air is cut off before the scraper devices H reach the end of theirmovement, i. e. the position shown in Figure '7, and remains off duringthe anti-clockwise movement of the scraper devices. It may be turned onimmediately the clockwise movement is begun or a little later.

The detector device comprises a spring pressed blade passing through aslot in the arm 1 lb and having at its lower end a hook 3| adapted toengage a companion hook 32 on an oscillatory arm 33 and to stop theoperation of the machine should a sheet I fail to arrive at theappropriate time and to move the blade to the position shown from thechain line position. The detector device is described in greater detailin the aforesaid copending application Ser. No. 126,268 of which itforms the subject.

In an alternative construction shown in Figure 8 the air nozzles 20a areprovided on the chamfered portion of the free end of the scraper arm andare supplied through ducts 20b formed in the arm.

The registration of the sheets is effected in the manner described in mypreviously mentioned patent application Ser. No. 62,251.

The present invention may also be applied to the printing machinedescribed in my previously mentioned application Ser. No. 62,249.

The support of the scraper device may also serve as a front lay or gaugefor effecting front edge registration of the sheets at the registeringposition.

I claim:

1. In a sheet feeding machine of the kind in which a succession ofpartly overlapped sheets are fed as a continuous stream over a layboardto a position where each sheet in turn is brought to rest andregistration of the sheet is effected and from which board the sheet isthen removed while the underlying sheet is approaching the registeringposition, the combination of a scraper device arranged to move againstthe direction of the flow of the sheets while scraping the undersurfaceof the sheet bein removed and in such timed relation with the feeding ofthe sheets that the device will meet and engage the front edge of asucceeding sheet as it approaches the registering position, the scraperdevice being arranged to engage the said front edge to separate the edgefrom the overlying sheet, means for moving the scraper device asaforesaid and an air nozzle incorporated in the scraper device formovement therewith, the nozzle being arranged initially to direct theair upwardly against the undersurface of the sheet being removed, and,as the scraper device moves as aforesaid, progressively to direct theair blast against the direction of flow of the sheets until the blast isdirected between the upper surface of the succeeding sheet as itapproaches the front lay position and the undersurface of the overlyingsheet being removed.

2. In a sheet feeding machine of the kind in which a succession ofpartly overlapped sheets are fed by conveyor means and as a continuousstream onto a layboard to a position when each sheet in turn is broughtto rest and registration of the sheet is effected and from which boardthe sheet is then removed while the underlying sheet is approaching theregistering position, the combination of a scraper device arranged tooperate below each sheet as it is removed from the layboard to scrapethe lower face of the sheet, to engage the leading edge of a succeedingsheet as it approaches the lays to separate that edge from the sheetbeing removed, which scraper device consists of a member having two armsat an angle and pivotally supported about the free end of one of thearms below the layboard for oscillation about an axis parallel to theleading edge of the sheet to be engaged from a position in which theother arm (later referred to as the scraper arm) extends upwardlytowards the underside of the sheet being removed to a position in whichthe scraper arm lies above and substantially parallel to the front edgeportion of the succeedin sheet, the movement of the device as aforesaidbeing in a direction against the movement of the sheets and beingfollowed by a return movement to the initial position, means foroscillating the scraper device as aforesaid and in such timed relationwith the feeding of the sheets that the free end of the scraper armscrapes the underside of the sheet being removed as the next sheetapproaches the lays and the scraper arm reaches the limit of itsmovement just before the sheet reaches the lays, and an air nozzleincorporated in the scraper device for movement therewith, the nozzlebeing arranged initially to direct the air upwardly against theundersurface of the sheet being removed and, as the scraper device movesas aforesaid, progressively to direct the air blast against thedirection of flow of the sheets until the blast is directed between theupper surface of the succeeding sheet as it approaches the front layposition and the undersurface of the overlying sheet being removed.

3. In a sheet feeding machine, the combination of a scraper device,means for moving the device and a nozzle as claimed in claim 2 in whichthe nozzle is located on the first-mentioned arm aforesaid adjacent thescraper arm and is arranged to direct the air blast in the direction ofthe scraper arm and on the underside thereof.

4. In a sheet feeding machine the combination of a scraper device, meansfor moving the device, and a nozzle as claimed in claim 2 in which thenozzle is located at the free end of the scraper arm.

5. In a sheet feeding machine of the kind in which a succession ofpartly overlapped sheets of paper, card or the like are fed by conveyormeans onto a layboard where each sheet in turn is registered and is thenremoved during registration of the next underlying sheet, thecombination of a scraper device for separating the leading edge of eachsheet from the preceding overlying sheet which scraper device comprisesan angular hook-like member pivotally supported at the free end of oneof its arms below the layboard for oscillation in timed relationshipwith the removal of the sheets from the board about an axis extendingtransversely of the board and from a position in which the free end ofthe other arm (which constitutes the scraper) lies below the path of thesheets being taken from the board to a position in which the scraper armlies above, and substantially parallel to, the upper surface of theboard and serves as a smoother for the sheet to be registered, means foroscillating the scraper device as aforesaid the arrangement being suchand the movement being so timed in relation to the feeding of the sheetsthat during the movement between the two positions as aforesaid the freeend of the scraper arm engages the undersurface of the sheet beingremoved with a scraping action and tends to engage and separate from thesheet the leading edge of the succeeding sheet should it be adheringthereto, and an air nozzle incorporated in the scraper device formovement therewith, the nozzle being located in the first-mentioned armaforesaid adjacent the scraper arm and being arranged to direct an airblast in the direction of the scraper arm and on the inside thereof.

6. In a sheet feeding machine of the kind in which a succession ofpartly overlapped sheets of paper, card or the like are fed by conveyormeans onto a layboard where each sheet in turn is registered and is thenremoved during registration of the next underlying sheet, thecombination of a scraper device for separating the leading edge of eachsheet from the preceding overlying sheet which scraper device comprisesan angular hooklike member pivotally supported at the free end of one ofits arms below the layboard for oscillation in timed relationship withthe removal of the sheets from the board about an axis extendingtransversely of the board and from a position in which the free end ofthe other arm (which constitutes the scraper) lies below the pathof thesheets being taken from the board to a position in which the scraper armlies above, and substantially parallel to, the upper surface of theboard and serves as a smoother for the sheet to be registered, means foroscillating the scraper device as aforesaid the arrangement being suchand the movement being so timed in relation to the feeding of the sheetsthat during the movement between the two positions as aforesaid the freeend of the scraper arm engages the under surface of the sheet beingremoved with a scraping action and tends to engage and separate from thesheet the leading edge of the succeeding sheet should it be adheringthereto, and an air nozzle incorporated in the free end of the scraperarm arranged to direct a blast of air outwardly of the arm and in thegeneral direction thereof.

HEADLEY TOWNSEND BACKHOUSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,204,188 Pye Nov. 7, 19161,521,365 Frohn Dec. 30, 1924 1,624,787 Hallstream Apr. 12, 19272,184,229 Spiess Dec. 19, 1939 2,221,500 Upham Nov. 12, 1940

